“It never comes out good”— Bill Maher suggests Karla Sofía Gascón’s Kanye West-like tweets and “cancel culture” led to Emilia Pérez’s Oscars snub

According to American comedian and writer Bill Maher, "cancel culture" is "a real thing." The host of HBO's Real Time described how the 2024 movie Emilia Pérez's Oscar nomination was reportedly affected by "cancel culture" during the March 7 program while in conversation with author-humorist, David Sedaris.

Maher went on to say that Emilia Pérez lost out on significant victories because of the criticism directed at the lead actress, Karla Sofia Gascon, for her controversial tweets. Talking about the same and directing his comments toward Gascon, Maher said:

"Just don't mention Hitler. I feel like it never comes out good. And then some things she said, which are just, ‘Oh yeah. You know what? I've said things like that.' It's just very, very honest. But of course, the woke community - it was way too far."

Additionally, Maher also described Gascon's tweets as "a little child-like," saying:

"It was a little Kanye-esque, just whatever's on the brain comes out."

Here, he referred to Kanye West's previous rants on X. As per The Week's February 9 report, in those now-deleted tweets, West wrote:

“I'm a racist. Stereotypes exist for a reason and they all be true...”

The interview came one and a half months after some of Gascon’s past tweets went viral on Thursday, January 30. Gascon uploaded some controversial tweets, mostly in 2020, regarding topics like Black Lives Matter.

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Bill Maher said that Emilia Pérez could have won at the Oscars had it not been for the "cancel culture"

Speaking out against Emilia Pérez's alleged snub at this year's Oscars, comedian and Real Time with Bill Maher host, Bill Maher, said:

"There are people who say cancel culture isn't a real thing and I would say to them, ‘It just happened at the Oscars’. You may not think it happened but the movie that was going to win it all was Emilia Pérez."

He further sarcastically said that Hollywood was thrilled at the prospect of creating history by having "a person, who was a trans person" win the Oscar for best actress. Karla Sofía Gascon became the first openly transgender actor to be nominated for an Academy Award. Referring to her, Bill Maher said that she did a great job.

Bill Maher continued:

"And this movie, that was going to win it all, it was the front-runner, and she was going to get all… suddenly was out to lunch. And good news for Anora. That's what happened. So yes, cancel culture is still with us. It may just be a little more subtle."

For context, Gascon's chances of winning the Oscar reportedly changed when some remarks from the actress resurfaced on social media at the end of January. Despite attending the Oscars on Sunday, March 2, Gason maintained a low profile.

In now-deleted tweets, according to a claim published on January 30 by the Hollywood Reporter, Gascon talked about George Floyd, who was murdered in Minnesota in 2020. Addressing the incident, she said:

“Let me get this straight, a guy tries to pass off a counterfeit bill after consuming methamphetamine, an idiot policeman arrives and goes too far in arresting him, killing him, ruining the lives of his family and his colleagues, and turning the guy with the bill into a martyr hero.”

Additionally, as per the same source, she further uploaded some tweets addressing the Muslims in her home country of Spain on November 23, 2020. As per Decider’s March 8 report, at the time of the Emilia Pérez, Gascon apologized.

"I want to acknowledge the conversation around my past social media posts that have caused hurt. As someone in a marginalized community, I know this suffering all too well and I am deeply sorry to those I have caused pain...," Gascon's statement said.

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Karla Sofía Gascon has not addressed Bill Maher's comments, as of this writng.